[Prague, CZECH REPUBLIC] Czech non-profit organization BMI launched for
the fourth time its nationwide project "March - Month of the Internet"
aimed to encourage usage of the Internet as a tool for business,
government, education and entertainment.

"Internet is for everybody" is
this year's slogan of the campaign.

BMI Association, which stands for
"Brezen Mesic Internetu" ("March - Month of the Internet" in Czech), has
been founded in 1998 by former journalists and PR specialists. The
association plans, coordinates and manages all the activities under the
umbrella of BMI and provides fundraising as well. Both Czech IT
businesses and international companies support the project because its
influence on public opinion is demonstrably strong: according to
independent research, about 30 per cent of population is addressed by
the campaign and recognize its message. The attitude of general public
is leaning toward the Internet usage thanks to BMI project.

This year's campaign has been started at January 28 with so-called
Internet New Year's Eve - party for V.I.P. and opinion makers widely
covered by Czech press. Several Internet Days have been organized in
various Czech cities in cooperation with local municipalities, public
libraries, local IT businesses etc. In Prague, Junior Internet 2001
conference will take place at March 22, where school kids will present
their own on-line projects and compete in several contests.

One of the most important events planned is the
ISSS 2001 - 3rd international conference
on Internet usage in local government, realized under the auspices of
the Council of Europe. The goal of the conference is to exchange
experience and ideas regarding usage of the Internet in the daily life
of local communities, in the communication between local government or
municipality and citizen. There is also popular contest for the best Web
site of city or community in the Czech Republic.

"Mail your MP" is another successful and popular event within the
framework of BMI project. The members of Czech Parliament are of course
equipped with e-mail addresses but not all of them are used to use it
regularly and answer questions and comments to the public.

During March, they have little chance to dodge this duty; media are covering how do
they answer e-mail messages sent to them by special application tracking
automatically how the mail is treated by the recipient.